


Love Guru

by sanctuary_for_all



Series: Partners [69]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Feels, M/M, working through your issues in the name of love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:15:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23241601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: Tani once again goes to Danny and Steve for relationship advice.
Relationships: Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams
Series: Partners [69]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/105629
Comments: 11
Kudos: 230





	Love Guru

**Author's Note:**

> Loosely inspired by 10x20, but you don't need to know anything about the episode to follow this fic.

"I've been _avoiding_ Junior the last couple of days." Tani paced back and forth across their kitchen, her Longboard forgotten on the counter. " _Why_ have I been avoiding him? I _like_ spending time with him."

Danny was sitting on the counter watching all of this, his own beer on one side and leaning against Steve with the other. "You know," he said gently, "the simplest answer to this would be to just stop avoiding him."

"I _can't_." She whirled on both of them, the words almost a wail. "Because when I _don't_ avoid him lately, I get _mean_. Junior Reigns is not a man meant to handle snide remarks, and I am a _master_ of them."

Danny sighed. "Well, that explains why you came to me."

Tani threw her hands up in the air. "Of _course_ I came to you. I love Kono, but I need someone who understands being short, full of rage, and kind of an asshole yet somehow still attracted to a teddy bear with no sense of self-preservation. You're my love guru, whether you like it or not." She gestured to herself, then back to Danny. "So guru me."

He lifted a hand, wondering what his younger self would think about someone going to _him_ for relationship advice. "Well, it seems like you've figured out at least a part of the problem for yourself."

"That I'm kind of an asshole? Of course I have." She made jazz hands near her face. "Big surprise. Now, tell me why I'm doing it to a guy I really like when he very rarely deserves it."

Danny took a deep breath, trying to figure out where to start, when Steve interrupted him. "You're protecting yourself." He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, just another one of those science facts he was spouting all the time. "Junior got through your walls in a way most of the people you've dated haven't, which makes you feel really vulnerable. Your survival instincts are panicking and trying to push him away so you feel safe again, even though the rest of your brain doesn't actually _want_ that."

The kitchen was dead silent as Tani and Danny stared at him wide-eyed. After a few heartbeats, he made an offended noise. "I've been married to Danny for almost _five_ years, you two. I _listen_ to him when he talks, and I watch him even when he doesn't." He frowned, turning to look at Danny. "You know I pay attention to you, right? I'm sure I've told you this."

Throat tight, Danny had to kiss Steve before he dared trust his voice to work properly. "You absolutely have." Even then, his voice was still rough. "I'm just an idiot and still forget sometimes." He cleared his throat, trying to pretend his eyes weren't stinging as he turned back to Tani. "So, Dr. Phil here was a hundred percent right about the why. Your subconscious is remembering all the times someone close to you hurt you, and it's trying to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Her mouth opened in protest, but he stopped her with a warning finger. "That absolutely includes family, too, and you do it with more than just Junior. Only reason Steve and I got past your aggressive first wave is because our adorable, charming children set up a sneak attack. Even after that, remember how jumpy you were your first few weeks with the team."

There was at least a dozen different warring emotions on her face. Danny wasn't at all surprised when it was frustration that won out. "It's not my first few weeks of knowing Junior! We've—" She stopped, lowering her voice to a loud whisper when Danny shushed her and Steve pointed upstairs to where Brandon was sleeping. "We've been friends for awhile. I actively _want_ to be dating him."

Danny couldn't help but be sympathetic. "Friends are one thing, even when they're as close as family," he explained gently. "But you know full well Junior hits on a whole different level. Your subconscious knows that Junior has the potential to wreck the whole rest of your life, and it’s still trying to pretend you have the chance to get clear."

Steve, knowing full well that Danny was talking from experience, leaned his head against Danny's shoulder and squeezed his leg. Tani, pale now, had to sit down in one of the kitchen chairs. "Remind me why I go to you for relationship advice again?" she asked, squeezing her eyes shut.

"It's just like you already said. We're both angry idiots who apparently have a type." He let his voice gentle again. "I had to find my own way through all of my mistakes, but hopefully we can cut down on the learning curve with you."

She opened her eyes again, looking absolutely despairing now. "How the hell do I _stop_ it? Sometimes I don't even realize I'm about to say or do something awful until it's _already_ happening."

"Practice." He said the word as kindly as he could, knowing the advice was already blunt enough. "Practice like hell. Keep a better eye on your own feelings, and recognize when you're getting twitchy. When you start feeling it, ask yourself one question." His chest tightened, remembering. "If someone has to get hurt, who would you rather it be – you, or him?"

Steve squeezed his leg again, and Tani was blinking hard. She swallowed. "Me," she said finally. "Especially if I'm the one who's making him get hurt."

He'd been pretty sure that's what she'd say. "You're going to have to keep reminding yourself of that for a little while, maybe even every single day. Odds are neither of you are _actually_ going to get hurt, at least not in the way your subconscious is afraid of, but it's not going to believe that right away. You're going to have to make it listen to you."

She nodded, looking resolved now. Then she let out a breath. "It works, though." The words weren't quite a question as she looked back and forth between them. "If you try hard enough."

Danny tightened his arm around Steve. "You probably want to ask this guy."

Steve nodded. "I always knew he never really meant it, but yeah, it does." His expression sobered briefly. "You should talk to Junior about this, though. I'm sure he'll be okay with it, because when you know someone's genuinely trying it's worth everything. But it's hard to feel someone pull away and think it's because you're just not enough for them."

There was the echo of so much old pain I the words that Danny's throat tightened. "I'm sorry," he murmured, pressing a kiss against his cheek.

Steve's expression eased. "It wasn't you."

It was a comfort, but not as much as it could have been. He leaned his head against Steve's. "I'm still sorry."

Tani, suddenly energized, pushed herself to her feet. "I have to go. I have to go _right now_." She got up, heading for the door, then doubled back and wrapped them both up in the same quick hug. "Thank you. But if this doesn't work out, you're definitely buying my depression ice cream."

"It'll work," Danny said, he and Steve following her to the door at a slightly more leisurely pace. "That kid's crazy about you."

"But if you need to talk more, we're here for you if you need us," Steve added.

They waved her off before quietly shutting the door behind her. "I wouldn't go back to being 30 again for all the money in the world," Danny said fervently.

Steve nodded like Danny had just shared the wisdom of the ages. "Me, either."

Their attention was immediately caught by the quiet sound of footsteps on the stairs, both of them, turning to find a pajama-clad Brandon halfway down the stairs. "Did Aunt Tani fix her problem?" he asked sleepily, his beloved stuffed monkey tucked under one arm.

Steve smiled up at him. "She's on her way to do that right now, Tracker," he said easily, heading up the stairs along with Danny. "Now how about we put you back into bed, okay?"

Brandon nodded, and they all three headed up the stairs to do just that.

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my [original fiction,](https://jennifferwardell.wixsite.com/mybooks) my [blog,](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)!


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